TULSA, Okla. — Over the past month, Green Country’s drought status has quickly worsened. This has to do with a combination of factors brought by a persistent heat dome parked over the central United States. This shut off widespread rainfall and induced many triple-digit temperature days in the region.
A flash drought begins with the top layer of soil and vegetation drying out. This causes the air to dry out, which in turn can reinforce the dry weather pattern. Drought begets drought, in other words. This has a marked impact on crops and even our own watering bills. As time goes on, our reservoir water levels also begin to drop. Thankfully, a very wet end to spring gave Green Country lakes the cushion room to lose that water.
Another effect of a flash drought is an increase in the wildfire danger. Dried vegetation will act as fuel for any fires that are started. The drying air also helps to spread the flames more readily. This is why many counties in Green Country are now under Burn Bans including Tulsa County from September 3rd to the 8th. Extensions to these Burn Bans are likely until widespread, soaking rainfall occurs…